O Come “Aul” Ye Faithful

By Steph Fink

“How do you spell _____, Mom?”

“Stretch it out and tell me the sounds you hear,” is my predictable response to my elementary scholars.

Predictably, their scholarly responses are rolled eyes followed by some sound/letter guesses. I guess you could say that we’re a predictable bunch!

Recently, I was reading in Acts 22 where Saul, a man that predictably gave his “aul” to persecute Christians, encountered the living Jesus. That moment changed “aul” of Saul. Saul remained predictable but went from Christian persecutor to Christian promoter. He kept his “aul” and changed his name from Saul to Paul. Paul gave his “aul” to Jesus.

Many past holidays, I’ve felt s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d by unrealistic expectations and lofty visions of what Christmas needs to look like. I know it’s a stretch to spell a-l-l, “aul”, but no more than thinking Christmas is about Santa, gifts and Frosty. Now that I know that Jesus was not just born, but lives today, changes how I want to honor the day that we celebrate as His birthday.

This Christmas season, I want to give God my “aul”. There are so many good intentioned distracters out there: over gifting my children and friends, finding the perfect recipes, and making my home look like the Better Homes and Gardens cover, just to name a few. Sure, the Fink home will be decorated and have some gifts in it, but this year we’re being more intentional about doing as the song lyrics say, “O come, let us adore Him”. Jesus. The One that changed the world forever. The One that changed my life forever.

It’s interesting that for the three days that followed Saul’s meeting with Jesus, Saul was physically blind. He lost vision only to gain it back.

With cultural pressures and media infiltrations requesting me to give my “aul” to materialism, I don’t want to lose vision. I want to pause, refocus with awe-struck worship and remember the little baby in a manger that wasn’t surrounded by pre-lit LED Christmas lights, overflowing stockings and an eight course meal.

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,

Christ the Lord.

My fellow Mommas, can we sing O Come Aul Ye Faithful and make God, not materialism, the center of our focus? Will you, like Paul, give your “aul” to Jesus?

 Steph’swriting has appeared in Proverbs 31 Ministry, P31 Woman magazine.  Inher free time she can be found encouraging numerous MOPS group in the

Steph can be found blogging at www.encouragedinheart.org or on Facebook at Stephanie Fink or on her Facebook page Encouraged in Heart– Stephanie Fink.  She loves big hair, big cups of coffee and big bear hugs.